A Case of Lupus?

Friday, August 8th, 2008

20 yr old Francine presented in September of this year complaining of pain, sores on the hands and severe exhaustion. These issues were associated with a diagnosis of Lupus and she requested a Homeopathic approach while considering her medical options.

She had a diminutive stature which made me think her age much younger. Hair was tightly bound back and her large almond shaped eyes looked out in a serious penetrating way. Francine had a long history of illness and came from a family where rheumatic complaints were common. She began with severe Raynaud’s phenomenon at 10 years. Just prior to this was the onset of migraine headaches reliably occurring before thunderstorms and more so in the spring.

These headaches were mostly right sided behind the eye and the cheek. Pain was made worse if she vomited and worse from mental exertion. Nausea was associated and with it there were hot flushes and sweats. If she rose suddenly during the course of headache it would bring on vertigo.

Her recent syndrome began in High School, senior year with easy fatigue. Making the bed would result in a pronounced generalized aching and weakness ‘as if she had just run a marathon.’ ‘It was like my mind stayed as active as always but my body was just exhausted” For a young lady quite used to being athletic and very social this was indeed a striking development.

Then came the pains. The first and most pronounced was a stabbing pain beginning at the right anterior superior iliac spine extending to the back. This was aggravated by long sitting and lying. The discomfort was debilitating but its diagnosis remained unclear despite extensive investigation.

Walking for 2 hours would initiate a shooting pain beginning I the right knee and extending anteriorly to the ankle.

Th wrists develop an aching with exerton such as typing or holding a tray(while serving in a restaurant).

Pain in the shoulders was sharp and constant yet made even worse with typing or carrying any weight.

Lumbar pains occur with sitting and exertion.

Most curious were eruptions that appeared on the dorsal surface of the interphalangeal joints and the palm.They begin as red vesicles which sting on touch and could develop into ulcers.There were sores in the mouth.The sores on the hand would come out especially on exposure to salt air or salt water.

Every afternoon from 3until 6pm she would develop a red saddle across the nasal area and her face would go ‘on fire’.

The throat area was quite sensitive to clothing touching.

This young lady describes herself as ‘weighed down since the illness and reclusive-in her former life she was a social’butterfly’.

When I examined this case it struck me that despite exhaustive questioning around many intense complaints there were few areas where any characterizing definition could be ascertained. These were;

The abdominal pain with its extension

The headaches

The heat

The aggravation from sea air.

A careful examination of the corresponding rubrics and then the material medica led me to a prescription of Sepia. The presentation of the patient made me feel she was delicate.This coupled with the inflammatory and destructive nature of the problem led me to a potency of Sepia 6 diluted serially in three glasses of water.1 Tsp once per day.

This case is by no means ‘cured’ yet. I have been treating this lady for only 5 months but the results are so pleasing that I felt it needed to be communicated.

Within 1 month there was an overall 50% improvement. In fact from minutes of the first dose the patient felt a surge on improved energy. By 2 months there was no more fever or pain. She then went on vacation-on a cruise-the sea air did not exacerbate the eruptions. On her return she visited her rheumatologist who is rethinking the idea she suffers Lupus. I recently followed up with the patient and she continues to do well. The remaining problem seems to be the very long lasting Raynaud’s which has not yet changed.

Homeopathy is the most powerful and flexible tool in our armamentarium for the treatment of chronic disease. When supported by our expertise in lifestyle it is unsurpassed.

Hahnemann’s practice is today being largely ignored by almost all of our schools. It has been replaced by ‘Seminar Circuit Homeopathy’ which bears little resemblance to the actual practice. Serious minded students who seek a scientific method in clinical practice and would find it in the original method are being cheated of a legitimate foundation. I beg the educators in our schools to return to a more rigorous education in homeopathic basics.